The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-01-20


learn something, and catch useful ideas,
from every intelligent tobacco grower
he meets, but there are great many
nice points and crises in the management
of tobacco crop that can only be learned
by close personal observation and atten.
tioE. A very little mismanagernent or
neglect at a particular crisis of the crop
may knock the value of the crop from
&c., or even s1.oO per lb., down to SC.
in less than twelve hours, and no amount
of care and pains will restore it, either.
As to the land, my experience is that
new ground, without manure, makes by
far the finest tobacco. 1t should be cut
down one year before planting, and it is
no disadvantage to plant a few peas or
watermelons on it the first year, but
tobacco should never follow heavy crop
of corn, cotton, or even small grain.
The great secret in making fine tobacco
is to make it grow fast, and mature and
ripen quickly. This can be effected only
on land containing an abundant supply
of humus or decayed vegetable matter,
together with the nitrates of potash,
soda, lime and other minerals necessary
to bring the leaf to the greatest perfec-
tion. These conditions can only be found
on fresh, virgin soil. If you CON-
PEELED to plant old land, do not select
horse or COW lot, or any locality that has
superabundant supply of raw animal
manure, and do not use any fresh stable
manure on your patch, but select q
rather sandy place, and make it conform
as nearly as possible to fresh land by
using an abundant supply of old, we'll
rctted manure, together with modera to
quantity of some of the commercial
manures. Generostee Guano, made at
Anderson, is the best, as it contains an
abundant supply of potash, as we'll as
lime, and the other necessary ingredients.
In fact, I regard it as special tobacco
manure. This is not intended as an ad-
vertising puff, for have no interest in
the sale Of it, and don't know anybody
who has, not knowing single stock.
holder in the concern. However, We
should patronize home industries when
they are meritorious.
If you plant old land, and do not wish
to buy any manure, you may find good
substitute in ashes. The dirt of an old,
torn down chimney, is an excellent
tobacco manure as it contains potash and
lime both. Locate your patch as near
the house as possible, 30 as to get the help
of your poultry in worming it.
As 10 the variety, like the Havana
best; but as some do not like the favor
of that for chewing, would advise to
to plant several kinds the 6rst year or
two, and select the kind you like best.
Any time between Christmas and the
6rst of March will do to plant the seed /;
but the earlier the better. By all means
SOW your own plant bed, and do not de-
pend on another for plants. You should
have plants enough to set out your whole
patch in day, the first good season in
May, and not have to wait for the second
drawing of somebody else's bed. In
choosing places for your beds, select
warm, sunny spots, with Southern ex.
-posure, where the sun shines as long as
possible. Burn your beds severely, and
while the ground is still hot, dig, rake,
and SOW your seed. Then cover with
fine stable manure, or Generostee guano,
and rake il and the seed in together
about inch deep. Thon lay poles
across, aud cover we'll with pine brush.
Take the brush off in warm weather to
allow the sun to warm the grouod and
bring up the plants. But do not let q
freeze catch the bed uncovered. White
cloth will do as we'll as pine brush to
cover the beds. It will keep of slight
frost, and allow some of the suns heat to
penetrate to the bed. Sow q row of
black mustard aud cabbage all around
your beds to protect your plants from
flea bugs. Sow seed enough for at least
four times as many plants as you want,
so that you can set out your whole patch
at once, the first good season in May.
Set three plants in every hill, three or
four inches apart. I will not detail the
reasons for this, as you will find them all
out before the time comes to chop out
the surplus plants.
For one fourth acre patch, sow at least
four seed beds in different places, two on
bottom land, or near a branch, aud two
on upland, and make the beds at least ten
feet square. Old field pine land makes
the very finest of tobacco. Your patch
for SO, should be cut down this winter
every tree-and let it lie till next year.
Ifagreeable, will furnish concise and
explicit directions for cultivatiug, curing,
and subsequent management of the crop,
as the time for each operation arrives.
j. w. EARLE.